Editor’s note: This op-ed for Bus & Motorcoach News is written by Kevin Whitworth, the longtime organizer of the UMA Maintenance Interchange and the UMA Maintenance Competition.
One fact in the worldwide bus and motorcoach community can’t be denied: UMA continues to lead the way in mechanic/technician opportunities. There’s not even a close second. Whether it’s the day-long Maintenance Interchange or testing their skills at the Maintenance Competition, technicians have numerous chances to learn and exchange ideas, meet and develop new relationships, and compete and test their skills alongside their peers. And it just got better!
At the Nov. 4 Town Hall, UMA President/CEO Scott Michael announced a new award that coincides with the Maintenance Competition Rising Star award, the Ring of Honor Scholarship. The Rising Star winner will receive this $500 scholarship toward an industry-related course of study.
“And we hope to increase that amount in the near future,” Michael said. “We’re excited to support the younger generation through this new scholarship.”
EXPO Mechanic/Technician Opportunities:
Maintenance Interchange. Open to motorcoach companies that register for EXPO. Participants must be employees of a motorcoach company. No vendors, suppliers, or third-party repair facilities are permitted. Make sure you sign up to attend the Interchange so you’re on the mailing list. Attendees may submit discussion topics before EXPO – we’ll discuss them and see if we can get you some help. Bus-related, hiring/training, shop equipment – anything is fair game. (Submission of a discussion topic is not required to attend.) Come, absorb, and build relationships with your partners in the industry. Don’t be surprised when we tally the years of experience in the room. It’ll be more than 1,000. (If you’ve already registered for EXPO and did not sign up for the Interchange, send a text message to Kevin @ 937-620-7944. List your contact information, including your email address.)
Maintenance Competition: Sponsored by ABC Companies, this is open to motorcoach company mechanics/technicians who are registered for EXPO and whose company is in good standing with UMA. To compete, the participant must actively work on the floor. Supervisors who do floor work are welcome. Part one of the competition is a written exam, given at the end of the Maintenance Interchange. Part two is the hands-on inspection, which will be on the trade show floor the next day. ABC Companies awards cash prizes and custom-made awards to the top three competitors.
Rising Star Competition: Sponsored by Stertil-Koni Heavy Duty Lifts, this is a competition within the Maintenance Competition for technicians who are new to the industry. It is open to technicians with less than 24 months of employment. Competitors take the same written exam. A minimum of two competitors will advance to the hands-on final round. Stertil-Koni provides a custom-made award to the winner.
Ring of Honor Scholarship: Sponsored by UMA. The winner of the Rising Star award will receive a $500 scholarship to be used for an industry-related course of study.
Don’t miss out on these valuable opportunities. Register for the Motorcoach EXPO in Birmingham, Alabama, from Feb. 11-14, 2026, at motorcoachexpo.com
Kevin Whitworth, the former owner of Whitworth Bus Sales in Miamisburg, Ohio, has long supported the bus maintenance industry, serving for over 25 years as the organizer of both the UMA Maintenance Interchange and the UMA Maintenance Competition.
